Directing The Soul

Non ille secundum imaginem Dei homo vanitatis est: sed qui illud amisit, et in peccatum decidit, et in materialia ista dilapsus est, iste homo est vanitatis. Anima igitur secundum sui naturam optima est: sed plerumque per irrationabile sui obnoxia fit corruptioni, ut inclinetur ad voluptates corporis, et ad petulantiam, dum mensuram rerum non tenet, aut fallitur opinione, atque inclinata ad materiam agglutinatur corpori. Sic invisibile ejus impeditur, et malitia repletur; quia dum intendit malitiae, ejus se vitiis replet, et fit defectu bonitatis intemperantior. Perfecta autem anima aversatur materiam: omne immoderatum, mobile, malignum refugit ac respuit; nec videt, nec appropinquat ad ullius terrenae labis corruptionem: divinis intendit, terrenam autem materiam fugit. Fuga autem est, non terras relinquere, sed esse in terris, justitiam et sobrietatem tenere, renuntiare vitiis, non usibus elementorum. Fugiebat David sanctus a facie Saul; non utique, ut terras relinqueret, sed ut immitis, et inobservantis, et perfidi declinaret contagium. Fugiebat autem adhaerens Deo, sicut et ipse ait: Adhaesit anima mea post te'. Abducebat se, et ablevabat vitiis saeculi hujus, elevabat animam suam sicut Isaac in campo, vel abalienabat, vel (ut alii habent) deambulabat. Nam hoc quoque ostendit cum virtutibus familiare habere consortium, ut deambulet unusquisque in innocentia cordis sui, nullo usu terrenis vitiis misceatur, atque irreprehensibilem viam inoffenso mentis carpat vestigio, nec ullum locum in se aperiat corruptioni. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, De Isaac et Anima

Man according to the image of God is not a vanity, but he who has lost the image and who has fallen into sin and has descended into material things, that man is a vanity. The soul, therefore, according to its own nature is excellent but through irrationality it is made subservient to corruption, so that it inclines to corporeal pleasures and to petulance and does not hold to moderation in things, or it is deceived by opinion and inclines to matter and is fastened to the body. So unseen it is impeded and it is filled with evil, for while intent on wickedness it fills itself with vices and becomes more intemperate through a lack of the good. The perfect soul turns from material things, everything immoderate, mutable, or wicked it flees and rejects, nor does it see nor come near any corruption of worldly faults, on the Divine it is intent, and earthly matter it flees. Yet its flight is not to abandon the world but to hold to it in righteousness and sobriety, renouncing the vices, not making use of their elements. Blessed David fled from the face of Saul, not that he leave the earth but that he avoid the contagion of one cruel, disobedient and treacherous. He fled that he adhere to God, as it is said 'My soul adheres to you.' He withdrew himself and lifted himself from the vices of this world, he lifted up his soul like Isaac who had withdrawn to the field, or as some have it, had walked about in the field. For this also shows familiar association with the virtues, that one walks in the innocence of one's heart, in no way mixed with worldly vices, and with blameless way of mind one takes the path without offence and in oneself there does not open any place of corruption. Saint Ambrose, On Isaac and the Soul